In New York City, where daily stressors include the high cost of living, financial concerns, and demanding careers, recent events such as the upcoming presidential election, ongoing conflict in Gaza, and climate change have added to residents’ already elevated levels of anxiety. According to Dr. C. Vaile Wright, a senior director and clinical psychologist with the American Psychological Association (APA), given New York City’s exorbitant living expenses, financial issues like inflation and rising costs may be particularly worrisome for locals. The APA does not have specific data on stress levels in NYC this year; however, they know that money and economic concerns are major sources of anxiety for the majority of Americans, with those worries increasing significantly over the past five years. In 2011, New Yorkers reported similar satisfaction rates (67%) to the national average (66%), as per APA’s data from October 2023. Dr. Nava R. Silton, a psychology professor at Marymount Manhattan College, explains that while many busy NYC residents may be used to the hustle and bustle of city life, they are still able to cope with it. The following issues were identified as major stressors in APA’s October 2023 Stress in America survey:
Dr. Wright emphasizes that since stress affects all bodily systems, New Yorkers must understand the serious implications of stress and take steps to mitigate its effects on their lives. She suggests focusing on achieving goals within one’s control as a way to prevent overwhelming thoughts brought about by uncertainty. Taking deep breaths can help slow racing thoughts, limiting social media consumption is empowering, exercising voting rights also helps in reducing anxiety levels among people of NYC living under constant pressure! Moreover, according to Wright, cortisol levels are at their highest during the morning hours coinciding with busy times like getting ready for work or school. This could compound individual’s stress levels even further.
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